MAINTENANCE work on England’s hospitals soared above £1billion last year, data shared by ministers has revealed.
The £1,013,000,000 spent in 2021/22 was up from £987million in the previous year, and £890million in 2017/18.
AlamyOpposition parties have criticised the Government for overseeing a ‘crumbling NHS estate’[/caption]
The information, shared by health minister Will Quince, appears to show investment in the backlog of maintenance has also risen dramatically.
Opposition parties have criticised the Government for overseeing a “crumbling” NHS estate.
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who wrote to ministers requesting the costs, said: “Patients are paying the price for the Conservatives’ failure with longer waits, while taxpayers are paying more but getting less thanks to delays.”
“Rishi Sunak appears to have ditched the 40 new hospitals pledge, adding one more failure to the Conservatives’ record of overpromising and underdelivering.
“The Conservatives literally didn’t fix the hospital roof when the sun was shining and now the NHS is crumbling.
Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman and deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “The Conservative Government is systematically failing our NHS.
“Across our country, too many NHS buildings which people rely on are life-expired or crumbling.
“Patients and staff are being let down and now the true extent of our run-down hospitals has been revealed.
“With hospitals crumbling, A&E waits soaring, and nurses being taken for granted by ministers, it’s clearer than ever that Britain will never trust the Conservative Party with the NHS again.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We have invested record sums to upgrade NHS buildings and facilities, so that trusts can continue to provide the best possible quality of care.
“We have committed to eradicate RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) from the NHS estate by 2035 and are protecting patient and staff safety in the interim period, including investing over £685 million to directly address urgent risks.
“We have invested £3.7 billion for the first four years of the New Hospital Programme and remain committed to all schemes that have been announced as part of it.”